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Fundamentals of Matrix Algebra, 2011a

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1.5 Applicaons <strong>of</strong> Linear Systems<br />

Reading from our reduced matrix, we have the infinite soluon set<br />

x = 15 + 5 4 z<br />

y = 17 − 9 4 z<br />

z is free.<br />

While we do have infinite soluons, most <strong>of</strong> these soluons really don’t make sense<br />

in the context <strong>of</strong> this problem. (Seng z = 1 2<br />

doesn’t make sense, for having half a<br />

ten dollar bill doesn’t give us $5. Likewise, having z = 8 doesn’t make sense, for then<br />

we’d have “−1” $5 bills.) So we must make sure that our choice <strong>of</strong> z doesn’t give us<br />

fracons <strong>of</strong> bills or negave amounts <strong>of</strong> bills.<br />

To avoid fracons, z must be a mulple <strong>of</strong> 4 (−4, 0, 4, 8, . . .). Of course, z ≥ 0 for<br />

a negave number wouldn’t make sense. If z = 0, then we have 15 one dollar bills<br />

and 17 five dollar bills, giving us $100. If z = 4, then we have x = 20 and y = 8.<br />

We already menoned that z = 8 doesn’t make sense, nor does any value <strong>of</strong> z where<br />

z ≥ 8.<br />

So it seems that we have two answers; one with z = 0 and one with z = 4. Of<br />

course, by the statement <strong>of</strong> the problem, we are led to believe that the lady has at<br />

least one $10 bill, so probably the “best” answer is that we have 20 $1 bills, 8 $5 bills<br />

and 4 $10 bills. The real point <strong>of</strong> this example, though, is to address how infinite solu-<br />

ons may appear in a real world situaon, and how suprising things may result. .<br />

. Example 21 .In a football game, teams can score points through touchdowns<br />

worth 6 points, extra points (that follow touchdowns) worth 1 point, two point conversions<br />

(that also follow touchdowns) worth 2 points and field goals, worth 3 points.<br />

You are told that in a football game, the two compeng teams scored on 7 occasions,<br />

giving a total score <strong>of</strong> 24 points. Each touchdown was followed by either a successful<br />

extra point or two point conversion. In what ways were these points scored?<br />

S The queson asks how the points were scored; we can interpret<br />

this as asking how many touchdowns, extra points, two point conversions and field<br />

goals were scored. We’ll need to assign variable names to our unknowns; let t represent<br />

the number <strong>of</strong> touchdowns scored; let x represent the number <strong>of</strong> extra points<br />

scored, let w represent the number <strong>of</strong> two point conversions, and let f represent the<br />

number <strong>of</strong> field goals scored.<br />

Now we address the issue <strong>of</strong> wring equaons with these variables using the given<br />

informaon. Since we have a total <strong>of</strong> 7 scoring occasions, we know that<br />

t + x + w + f = 7.<br />

The total points scored is 24; considering the value <strong>of</strong> each type <strong>of</strong> scoring opportunity,<br />

we can write the equaon<br />

6t + x + 2w + 3f = 24.<br />

41

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